Strip severing machine



April 14, 1964 A. c. DAVIS STRIP SEVERING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1961 24 ma as K24 fly. I.

4+ INVENTOR I C'Zl/ccrr C, Davis ATTORNEY A ril 14, 1964 A. c. DAVIS STRIP SEVERING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1961 Cll/an c. Du/S Fly. /9.

April 14, 1964 c, DAVIS 3,128,928

STRIP SEVERING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1961 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR F/ftfi allay-r7 cCDau/s' lay 2,47 7% ATTORNEY April 14, 1964 A. c. DAVIS 3,128,928

STRIP SEVERING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Avg. 6.

cu/am c. Dav/s ATTORNEY April 14, 1964 A. c. DAVIS STRIP SEVERING MACHINE T Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 5. 1961 Fly: IEO

INVENTOR (Illa-n cu Dal-u is ATTORNEY April 14, 1964 A. c. DAVIS STRIP SEVERING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 5. 1961 CZ/la-n C: Dan: ,S'

ATTORNEY April 14, 1964 A. c. DAVIS 3,128,928

STRIP SEVERING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 1:7 2 alla-n C. Dav/,5

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,128,928 STRIP SEVERING MACHINE Allan C. Davis, Baltimore, Md, assignor to F. A. Davis & Sons, Inc., a corporation of Maryland Filed Dec. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 157,099 1.4 Claims. (Cl. 225-100) This invention relates to a strip or web dividing or bursting machine which separates a continuous webinto separate form lengths at lines of weakening transversely of the web between each form.

This machine may be operated by hand so fast and so uniformly or continuously that no motor is required to break or burst the strip into individual forms as rapidly as may be desired. For use in business machines, checks,

bills, statements and other record sheets are printed or otherwise indicated on a continuous strip or web and the strip is scored at regular intervals by a weakening transverse line between each form.

It is an object of the invention to produce a machine which is so simple in form, construction and operation that it does not get out of order and it may be operated by unskilled operators.

Another object of theinvention is to place the web under tension, and transversely centrally thereof and then adjacent a weakened line, to increase the tension to burst the center of the weakened line, and to continue the tension to carry the tear on the weakened line thereof to the web sides or edges.

Another object of the invention is to drive the tensioning rolls and bursting mechanism by a single belt, which forms a part of the bursting mechanism, which insures synchronizing the bursting mechanism with the weakened lines.

Anotherobject of the invention is to render the passage of the web through the mechanism smooth and uniform to avoid-snapping or stopping of the movement at any time, to insure positive and uniform separation on the weakened lines.

Another object of the invention is to use a one point center contact for the burster pulling means, so that the web will tend to align itself to go straight in the machine, from its position of rest from a pile or block and without side guides.

Another object of the invention is to feed the web smoothly and to space the bursting and tensioning means near'the longitudinal center of the web only, to avoid any creasing or folding of the web and to free it, to smooth out, after separation into forms.

Another object of the invention is to space the feeding and pulling rolls between which the continuousweb passesand the position of the bursting mechanism in relation to them, to enablethem to sever or burst forms of different lengths.

-To accomplish this purpose the bursting mechanism is adjustable lengthwise of the web, and in the instant improve- "thispurpose the web isinitially folded along the weakened lines with alternate sides of the web being up so that it folds in a rectangular block at the fold line edges. It is accordion plaited. Each fold line represents a line for the division of the web intoseparate forms, to be separated along the fold lines by the instant machine, al-

though the weakening line is the only essential in the proper separation of the forms, the block folding is only a convenience for handling.

3,128,928 Patented Apr. 14, 1 964 ofthe web into these separate forms so that they will separate not only on the weakened lines at the places of *fold, but also the weakened lines intermediate the folds of the larger forms into two or more forms of a very short length.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the machine of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional View through the front of the machine.

FIGURE 5 is a similar view through the rear of the machine, and is a continuation of FIGURE 4 to the right.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional View showingthe form guide in raised position.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the bursting or initial separating action.

FIGURE 9 is a transverse sectional view on line 99 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the web in the machine just prior to bursting.

FIGURE 11 is a similar view of the web in the machine after the bursting.

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 12-12 of FIGURE 10. I

FIGURE 13 is a transverse sectional view showing the web restraining guide.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the support for the guide of FIGURE 13.

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the belt tightening mechanism.

FIGURE 16 is a horizontal sectional view showing the web tray.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary end view partly in section of the web tray mounting and locking mechanism.

FIGURE 18 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the web tray mounting and locking mechanism.

FIGURE 19 is a side elevational view of the tray and the roll feed device and its carriage thereon.

FIGURE 20 is a top plan view of the web showing the weakened portions between forms.

FIGURE 21 is a perspective view of the web in an accordion plaited block formation.

FIGURE 22 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an alternate form of tray adjusting guide finger.

FIGURE 23 is a sectional view on the line 2323 of FIGURE 22.

FIGURE 24 is a fragmentary plan view of the latch release mechanism of FIGURE'22, on line 24-24.

FIGURE 25 is a plan view of a continuous Web weakened to divideinto short lengths, longitudinally of the web.

FIGURE 26 is a View of the web folded intoaccordion plaited block form lengthwise extending, two forms lengthwise being on each sheet as folded.

Inthe drawings similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

as plate 3 extends horizontally longitudinally of the machine between the side frames and it is bent downwardly at its forward end as at 4 and at its rear end as at 5. It has reinforcing ribs 6 extending through part of its length.

The bed plate has a slot 7 extending centrally through a major portion of its length through which passes the belt 8, in continuous loop form and mounted at the forward end of its loop on pulley 9 and at the rear end of its loop on the flanged pulley 1f), pulley 10 being mounted longitudinally fixedly in the machine and pulley 9 being mounted on shaft 11 in bearings 12 in struck up flanges 13, struck up from adjustable brackets 14 which pivot at 15 and have at their tops outwardly extended flanges 16 between which is mounted eccentric 17 having outwardly extending finger 18 thereon, the rotation of which moves the bracket 14 backward or forward as may he desired and thereby varies the tension on the belt 8. The eccentric 17 may be locked in fixed position by its mounting screw 19.

A roll web feeding device is mounted on the carriage side frames 20 which are rigidly attached together by U bar 21. Mounted in these carriage frames are centrally mounted pulley 22, fixedly mounted roller 23 and removably mounted roller 24 on shaft 25 which is mounted in upwardly directed slots 26 receiving therein the projecting ends of shaft 25. Pulley 22 is mounted on the transversely extending rod 27 which is in turn mounted on vertically extended pins 28 held in brackets 29 on frames 20, the pins 28 being held in place by cotter pins 30. Pins 28 have around their lower portions springs 31 to apply upward pressure to the rod 27. Pulley 22 is mounted on hub 32 affixed to rod 27 by a set screw 33 and the pulley 22 itself rotates on the ball bearings 33' between race 34 in the hub and race 35 in the pulley.

Since pulley 22 offsets the belt 8 for a one point contact with the center of the web, FIGURES 8 and 9, the web being free to move on both sides of that contact or offset, the web can twist readily, and even the small guidance provided by the pile or block of web will urge the web, if misaligned, into substantially a straight line from the pile or block of web.

The carriage frames 20 are rigidly mounted on side extensions of tray 37, to which are welded the U-shaped slides 36 carrying between their forward ends the tray 37 and being braced at their rear ends by U bar 38. The slides 36 at their open sides ride on the bearings 39 and at the top edges of the one on the right side of the machine, looking toward the front as seen in FIGURES 3 and 17, is fiange 40 which is clamped between jaws 41 and 42 by square shouldered bolt 43 and nut 44. The jaws 41 and 42 are held from rotation by the screw 45 and its head. Both the carriage frames 20 and tray 37 are limited in their movements by the ends of slots 20 in bed plate 3 through which the frames extend.

Tray 37 has slots 46 spaced longitudinally therein into which extend guide fingers 47. These guide fingers are mounted rigidly like depending prongs in bracket 48 attached to the forward end of the sides of the machine by screws 49 and with an extending tubular guide portion 50 receiving in its ends supporting buttons 51, likewise mounted on the sides of the forward end of the machine. Depending fingers 47 form a backstop for the block of forms in web form as shown in FIGURES 4 and 21 and when the tray is filled with this block of forms as shown in FIGURE 4 and pushed rearwardly with the forms against the fingers it moves the integral carriage frames 20 to their proper positions in relation to the roll web pulling device consisting of pulley 10 and upper roller 52 mounted in brackets 53 on side frames, to give pulling device rolls 10 and 52 a bite on the approaching web 54 as shown in FIGURE 10. Pulley 22 is positioned upwardly in the side frames 20 of the machine to elevate the belt 8 in the slot 7 of the bed plate 3 to offset the web from a straight line joining the peripheries of rolls 23 and 52 to deflect the web upwardly centrally over pulley 22 to place this 4 portion of the web under increased tension and to burst it centrally, substantially above the center of the pulley 22. Pulley 22 forms in the belt a moving offset close to roll 23 to angularly elevate the web to burst it. The closer the offset is to roll 23, the greater is the angularity in the web and the greater the bursting effect.

The web is threaded into the machine by first removing bar 55 from its mounting brackets 56 on each side of the machine and then removing roll 24 and looping the web therearound as shown in FIGURE 4 and passing the web toward the rear of the machine under roll 23 as likewise shown in this figure and above belt 8. Roll 24 is then again inserted in its slots 26 and bar 55 is inserted in its bracket and the web is fed rearwardly by rotation of the handle 57 connected to and turning pulley 9. As the web is fed rearwardly by continued turning of the handle it passes over pulley 10 with a constricted center and extended flanges as shown in FIGURES 6 and 8. The center is so far constricted as to pass the belt 8 from contact with the web so that only the flanges of the pulley 10 engage the web and press it against the roller 52, thus driving the surface speed of pulley 10 faster than the speed of the belt. By this means the web is pulled considerably faster by the pulley 10, than it is allowed to travel by the pulley 22, belt 8 and rolls 23 and 24. Because of the upward extension of the belt at the belt pulley 22 as shown in FIGURE 10, the web already under tension from the speed of pulley 10, pulls the web beyond its tensile strength at the weakened line passing over pulley 22, and it bursts as illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 11. Beginning at the center above pulley 22 and because of the continuous faster feed of the pulley 10 and roll 52, the initial burst extends as a tear to both sides of the web and parts it into separate portions along the weakened line. Because both the belt 8 and pulley 10 engage the web substantially near the center, the engagement does not extend to the edges of the web that may start to wrinkle or pucker because of pulling or tension on the web, and the Web smoothes out and the severed web portion passes out between the rolls 10 and 52 to the receiving tray at the rear of the machine.

Pulley 10 is mounted on a shaft 58 similar to rod 27 mounting pulley 9, and shaft 58 is mounted on pins 59 in brackets 60 on bed plate rear portion 5, tensioned up by springs 61, pins 59 being held in the brackets by cotter pins 62.

The bottom 63 of the receiving tray is a continuation with the vertical portion 5 of the horizontal bed plate 3 of the machine, the end of the bottom being tubularly rolled and extending between the sides of the machine and supported by buttons 64. This bottom 63 of the tray is held by angles 65 to the machine sides, and has over its top along each side, plates 66 having slots 67 therein to receive fingers 68 on the bottom 69 of back stop 70 positioned to catch and hold the discharged forms after their division. The back stop 70 may be adjusted longitudinally of the receiving tray in other slots 67. The center part of bottom 69 has a forward depending lip 71 to guide encoming forms into the tray.

The web proceeds through the machine so rapidly that after severing, the leading edge tends to pick up air and to hold it down to enter the leading edge under roller 52, fingers 72 project rearwardly as two V-shaped mem bers from cross-horizontal portion 73 which have rings 74 at their ends extending around the hubs of roller 23 as shown in FIGURES 4 and 10. Other fingers 75 extend from the frame 76 mounted on the hubs of roller 52. Frame 76 has a projecting edge 77 which engages the flanges of pulley 10 when the fingers 75 are lifted to remove the accumulated forms from the receiving tray. This projecting portion 77prevents the fingers 75 from falling forward on the machine, and the entry of the web under roller 52 until fingers 75 are lowered.

When forms are so narrow or short longitudinally of the web as to be folded with two or more in each flat por-tion as they are folded into a'block as illustrated'in FIGURE 26 it is often desirable to position the tray to divide the web on each weakened line. To accomplish this purpose a single form may be placed'in the tray as a guide or templet and the tray pushed rearwardly to position the webifeeding device to place the bursting means below each weakened line. Sincexthe tray is not arranged to hold a block of the web folded as shown in FIGURE 26, the block couldbe placed outside the machine on a table after the initial adjustment is made or the guide fingers 47 could be mounted in a swinging bracket 78, mounted on pivots 79 afiixed by other. holders to the machine side frames. The bracket'78i-s hCId'NCftical by the latch 80 passing through a hole in member 81 connected to the machine side frames. The latch 80 in bracket 78 is held up by spring 82 resting on an angle 83 of bracket 78 and bearing on a finger release member 84, the rear end '85 of which passes through a hole in the latch 80, and after passage, is'flattened as at 86. Bracket "78 likewise has on each side a socket 87 therein which may be engaged by spring pushed ball 88 in holder 89. When bracket 78-is held up by the ball 88, the fingers are turned-rearwardly and out of the way of the block offorms. When the fingers are down and locked in place'by latch 80, they extend vertically and serve their purposeto properly space the end-of the tray to place thebursting point of the web above pulley 22.

It will be apparent that belt 8 is the only driving means in the machine and the rollers 23 and 24 are driven by means of the belt acting through the Web at the same peripheral speed as the moving web in contact with the adjacent belt on pulley 22. Roller 52 is likewise driven through the web by the flanges of pulley 10, but because of the reduced diameter of pulley 10, at that point the web is placed under tension and the web severed portion moves faster than the web held by rollers 23 and 214 after severing is started.

It will be apparent that many modifications may be made in the particular construction of the machine as illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A bursting machine for a continuous web of forms weakened transversely at regular intervals between forms, the web advancing in the machine from front to rear including, a web support having a slot extending longitudinally centrally therein a forward roll web feeding device, a rearward roll web pulling device, driven bursting means in the slot of said support adjacent and rearward of said forward roll web feeding device engaging the web opposite the feeding device, said bursting means including -a belt positioned to drive the rolls of said devices in timed relation to each other, the peripheral speed of the web pulling device slightly faster than that of the web feeding device.

2. The bursting machine of claim 1 in which the bursting means is offset to a straight line tangent to the peripheries of the rolls of said feeding and pulling devices toward the feeding device to bear upon and deflect the web extending between the rolls of said devices.

3. The bursting machine of claim 1 including means to vary the spacing of said devices relative to each other to burst webs with diflerent regular intervals of transverse weakening.

4. The bursting machine of claim 1 including means to move the roll web feeding device to vary the spacing thereof with the roll web pulling device to burst webs with different regular intervals of transverse weakening.

5. The bursting machine of claim 1 in which the rearward roll web pulling device includes as one of its rolls a flanged pulley around which said belt passes, the flanges of said pulley bearing upon the web'to exert pullingaction thereon adjacent both sides of the centerof theweb.

6. A'bursting-machine for a continuous web of forms weakened transversely at regular intervals betweenforms the web advancing in the machine from front to rear including a web support, a forward roll web feeding device, a rearward roll web pull-ing device, a driven belt spaced transversely centrally of the web support connected to the rolls of said devices to drive the same, means adjacent and rearward of said forward-roll web feeding device bearing upon said belt positioned-topush the belt from the plane of the web between said-devices, to deflect 'theweb from said plane to burst the web on the weakened transverse line adjacent said '-means.

cent and rearward of-said forward roll-web feeding device cooperatingwith'said beltto burst the web on the weakened transverse line adjacent the passage of theline from the web feeding device.

8. A bursting machine for a continuous web of forms weakened transversely at regular intervals between forms, the web advancing in the machine from front to rear including a web support, a forward roll web feeding device, a rearward roll web pulling device, means to drive said devices, the pulling device faster than the feeding device, means offset from a straight line tangent to the peripheries of the rolls of said feeding and pulling devices to bear upon and deflect the web extending between the rolls of said devices adjacent and rearward of the forward roll web feeding device and spaced transversely centrally of the web support, the sides of the web being free therefrom, and including said driving means, to divide the web on a weakened transverse line adjacent the passage of that line from the web feeding device.

9. A bursting machine for a continuous web of forms weakened transversely at regular intervals between forms, the web advancing in the machine from front to rear including a web support, a forward roll web feeding device, a rearward roll web pulling device, means including an endless belt driving said devices and contacting the Web adjacent and rearward of the forward roll web feeding device and pressing the web out of alignment between the devices to divide the web on a weakened transverse line adjacent the passage of that line from the web feeding device, means to vary the spacing of said devices apart and of said dividing means relative thereto, to space web transverse lines for bursting rearward and adjacent the web feeding device.

10. A bursting machine for a continuous web of forms weakened transversely at regular intervals between forms, the web advancing in the machine from front to rear including a web support, a forward roll web feeding device, a rearward roll web pulling device, means adjacent and rearward of the forward roll web feeding device to divide the web on a weakened transverse line adjacent the passage of that line from the web feeding device, means to vary the spacing of said devices apart and of said dividing means relative to one of them, to space web transverse lines for bursting rearward and adjacent the web feeding device, a tray to receive an accordion plaited stack of web, means to connect said tray to said dividing means, said tray being mounted in said machine to move longitudinally of the machine, and by such movement, through said connection, to vary the spacing of said dividing means relative to said one of said devices to burst webs with different regular intervals of transverse weakening.

11. A bursting machine for a continuous web of forms weakened transversely at regular intervals between forms, the web advancing in the machine from front to rear including a web support, a forward roll web feeding device, a rearward roll web pulling device, means adjacent and rearward of the roll web feeding device to divide the web on a weakened transverse line adjacent the passage of that line from the web feeding device, a tray to receive an accordion plaited stack of web, a carriage mounting said dividing means and roll web feeding device on said tray, said tray being mounted in said machine to move longitudinally of the machine, and by such movement, to vary the spacing of the feeding device and dividing means relative to the pulling device to burst webs with different regular intervals of transverse weakening.

12. The bursting machine of claim 10in which said tray has a forward edge and the machine has depending from the forward portion thereof rearward of said edge and adjacent the tray, stop means, the distance between said edge and stop means corresponding to the spacing of said devices for dividing a web along weakened lines spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between said edge and stop means.

13. The bursting machine of claim 10 in which said tray has a forward edge and the machine has depending from the forward portion thereof rearward of said edge and adjacent the tray, stop means, the distance between said edge and stop means corresponding to the spacing of said devices for dividing a web of stacked web in close fitting position between said edge and stop means, and means to lock the tray in stacked web closely fitting position.

14. The bursting machine of claim 10 in which said tray has a forward edge and the machine has depending from the forward portion thereof rearward of said edge and adjacent the tray, stop means, the distance between said edge and stop means corresponding to the spacing of said devices for dividing a web along weakened lines spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between said edge and stop means, means to lock the tray in fixed position and means thereafter to extend the tray area to receive stacks of length greater than that for which the tray is positioned and locked.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,718 McFarland et al Feb. 18, 1941 2,252,720 Metzner Aug. 19, 1941 2,252,736 Sherman et a1 Aug. 19, 1941 2,291,754 Piazze Aug. 14, 1942 2,328,582 Ratchford et al Sept. 7, 1943 2,375,542 Euth May 8, 1945 2,803,304 Kessler Aug. 20, 1957 2,970,784 Kessler Feb. 7, 1961 

1. A BURSTING MACHINE FOR A CONTINUOUS WEB OF FORMS WEAKENED TRANSVERSELY AT REGULAR INTERVALS BETWEEN FORMS, THE WEB ADVANCING IN THE MACHINE FROM FRONT TO REAR INCLUDING, A WEB SUPPORT HAVING A SLOT EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY CENTRALLY THEREIN A FORWARD ROLL WEB FEEDING DEVICE, A REARWARD ROLL WEB PULLING DEVICE, DRIVEN BRUSTING MEANS IN THE SLOT OF SAID SUPPORT ADJACENT AND REARWARD OF SAID FORWARD ROLL WEB FEEDING DEVICE ENGAGING THE WEB OPPOSITE THE FEEDING DEVICE, SAID BURSTING MEANS INCLUDING A BELT POSITIONED TO DRIVE THE ROLLS OF SAID DEVICES IN TIMED RELATION TO EACH OTHER, THE PERIPHERAL SPEED OF THE WEB PULLING DEVICE SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN THAT OF THE WEB FEEDING DEVICE. 